President awards late Salah Farah the Order of the Grand Warrior

The late Salah Farah when he was airlifted to Wilson Airport by Amref Flying Doctors and taken to Kenyatta National Hospital on December 22, 2015 after he sustained gunshots in the bus attack by suspected Al-Shabaab terrorists. PHOTO | STELLA CHERONO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The award is given by the President in recognition of distinguished and outstanding services rendered to the nation in various capacities and responsibilities.

  • President Uhuru in his State of the Nation address said “I posthumously award Salah Farah Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya, Muslim killed shielding Christians.”

  • Mr Salah Farah died on January 18 at Kenyatta National Hospital, where he had been airlifted on December 22 for specialised treatment following the attack.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has posthumously awarded the late Salah Abdow Farah the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya, for his act of courage.

Mr Farah, a Muslim teacher who until his death was the deputy headmaster of Mandera Township Primary School, was shot as he shielded non-Muslims during an ambush by Islamist gunmen on a bus travelling from Nairobi to Mandera on December 21, 2015.

The award is given by the President in recognition of distinguished and outstanding services rendered to the nation in various capacities and responsibilities.

President Uhuru, in his State of the Nation address, said: “I posthumously award Salah Farah Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya, Muslim killed shielding Christians.”

Adding: “We are our brother’s keeper. I salute Salah Farah, (the) Muslim teacher who died protecting Christians in Al-Shabaab attack.”

The late hero’s brother, Rasheed, speaking to the Nation by phone said: “The President himself called us Thursday at noon. He asked about Salah’s five children and told me ‘usijali (don’t worry) we shall take care of them.’ He also spoke to his wife and other family members.”

Mr Rasheed told the Nation: “He (the President) vowed to visit Mandera to visit the children, saying they won’t be forgotten. We are very happy we have not been forgotten. We are one people.”

Mr Salah Farah died on January 18 at Kenyatta National Hospital, where he had been airlifted on December 22 for specialised treatment following the attack.

He had sustained injuries on his arm and hip bone, where a bullet was lodged but was later removed through surgery. He died from the injury on his hip and was buried in Mandera on January 19.